County approves extra EMT post and creates standalone ambulance service director role
Summary
Richland County supervisors approved adding a sixth full-time EMT and authorized creating and filling a separate ambulance service director position, separating that role from emergency management duties.
The Richland County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 12 approved two staffing changes for the county ambulance service: adding one full-time EMT position and creating a separate ambulance service director job and hiring authority. The board passed the resolution to add a full-time EMT on a motion by Supervisor McKee, seconded by Supervisor Gil; the motion carried by voice vote.
Why it matters: county officials said the additional full-time position is intended to reduce overtime, allow stable shift coverage and free leadership time for long-range planning. The board also voted to separate the ambulance director duties from emergency management, creating a distinct ongoing position and associated job description. "Since 02/2014, our emergency management and our ambulance director have been 1 person," a county official said; the board concluded the duties should be split.
Discussion and qualifications: supervisors discussed minimum qualifications for the new director job description. Supervisor Severson asked whether the board should require national certification, asking, "Are we gonna hold that director to that position of nationally registered paramedic?" The board noted that state rules (DHS 110 was cited during discussion) set baseline qualifications for a service director but do not require the director to be a licensed emergency medical provider. County staff said they would update the draft job description language to clarify national registry expectations where appropriate.
Board members and staff said the sixth full-time EMT would reduce overtime costs and free the director to focus on budgeting, program compliance and sustainability. The motion to create and fill the ambulance service director position was made by Supervisor Kramer and seconded by Supervisor Miller; the resolution passed by voice vote.
The resolutions become effective upon publication and are part of broader staffing and service reviews for the county ambulance system.
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